THE  MUNICIPAL  WATER  SUPPLY  SYSTEM 

OF 

THE  CITY  OF  NEW  YORK 


A  General  Description 


DEPARTMENT   OF   WATER   SUPPLY, 
GAS  AND  ELECTRICITY. 

Nicholas  J.  Hayes,  Commissioner 
John  J.  Diet2,  Deputy  Commissioner 
Merritt  H.  Smith,  Chief  Engineer 
William  W.  Brush,  Deputy  Chief  Engineer 


May.  ^/'^' 


40-S006-20-D 

THE  MUNICIPAL  WATER  SUPPLY  SYSTEM 

OF 

THE  CITY  OF  NEW  YORK 


A  General  Description 


srUNICIPAI.  REFBRENCB 

DSS-ARTilENT 

OCTol  IH'^P 


GIFT 
JAN  1 3  '23 

DEPARTMENT    OF   WATER    SUPPLY, 
GAS  AND  ELECTRICITY. 

Nicholas  J.   Hayes,  Commissioner 
John  J.  Dietz,     Deputy  Commissioner 
Merritt  H.   Smith,    Chief  Engineer 
William  W.  Brush,   Deputv  Chief  Engineer 


May,  1920. 


BiiUscyc    Nicw    ui    N\"ati.rsliLds    ;uid    Lines    uf    Aquuduclb    ul    llic    Catskill,    Crotou    and 
Long  Island   Systems. 


SHU 


CONTENTS. 


Page 

Historical 6 

Watersheds,  Reservoirs  and  Aqueducts  Now  in  Use — The 

Catskills    and    Croton    vSu|)plies 11 

Quality  of  the  Water 15 

Consumption  and  Waste  of  Water 18 

Utilization  of  the  Catskill  and  Croton  Suj^plics — Pumping" 

Croton  AX'ater  to  Cive  It  Adequate  Pressure 20 

Water  Pressures 21 

Distri1)ution    System    22 

Controlling  the  Location  of  Suhsurf.'ice  Structures 23 

High   Pressure   Fire   Service 23 

Municipal  AX'ater  Sup])ly  Systems  Placed  in  Reserve.,..  27 

W^ater  Revenue 29 

A^alue  and  Cost  of  Maintaining  and  (^])crating  the  Water 

Supply   System    30 

Private  Water  Comjxinies   30 

Tables    32 


GIFT 

The   Municipal  Water  Supply  System 
of  the  City  of  New  York 

Of  the  6,000,000  inhabitants,  more  or  less,  of  New  York 
City,  all  but  about  400,000  are  supplied  with  water  by  the 
municipality.  Such  400,000,  constituting  a  portion  of  the  in- 
habitants of  the  Boroughs  of  Brooklyn  and  Queens,  are  sup- 
plied by  private  water  companies.  This  pamphlet  deals  prin- 
cipally with  the  municipal  water  supply  system  and  the  work 
incident  to  the  care,  operation  and  development  thereof,  which 
work  is  confided  by  statute  to  the  Department  of  Water  Sup- 
ply, Gas  and  Electricity.  The  department's  jurisdiction  and 
principal  duties  in  relation  to  this  work  are  as  follows : 

1.  It  has  jurisdiction,  charge  and  control  (a)  of  the 
sources  of  supply  of  all  water  furnished  b}"  the  City,  (b)  of 
all  water  supply  structures  owned  by  the  City,  including 
reservoirs,  dams,  aqueducts  and  gatehouses,  and  (c)  of  the 
City's  distribution  system,  including  pumping  stations,  water 
mains,  valves  and  fire  hydrants.  It  supplies  about  5,600,000 
people  with  water  for  domestic  and  business  uses  and  for  fire 
protection,  and  in  so  doing  operates  and  maintains  the  great- 
est municipal  water  supply  system  in  the  world,  of  an  esti- 
mated cost  of  $341,500,000.' 

2.  It  is  responsible  for  the  quality  of  the  water,  whether 
supplied  by  the  City  or  by  private  water  companies. 

3.  It  operates  through  electrically  driven  pumps  the  high 
pressure  fire  service  in  Manhattan  and  Brooklyn  and  through 
gas  driven  pumps  that  are  at  Coney  Island. 

4.  It  collects  the  water  revenue,  amounting  to  about 
$15,000,000  per  annum. 

5.  In  conjunction  with  the  Board  of  .Mdermen  it  fixes 
the  rates  at  which  water  supplied  l)y  the  C"ity  shall  be  sold. 

6.  It  tests  water  meters.  It  may  require  their  installa- 
tion in  places  where  water  is  supplied  for  business  purposes 
and  it  inspects  and  reads  some  108,000  at  regular  intervals. 
It  may  recommend  to  the  Board  of  Aldermen  their  installa- 
tion in  residential  premises  and  there  install  them  with  the 
consent  of  such  Board. 

7.  It  determines  the  location  and  supervises  the  construc- 
tion of  all  sub-surface  structures  (including  water  mains,  gas 


hiains,  electrical  conductors,  steatn  pipes  and  pneumatic 
tubes),  except  sewers  and  rapid  transit  lines. 

8.  It  supervises  the  operation  of  the  private  water  com- 
panies in  Queens  and  Brooklyn  and  has  jurisdiction  to  fix 
their  rates  lor  water,  its  determination  as  to  rates  being  sub- 
ject to  review  by  the  courts. 

At  the  head  of  the  department  is  a  Commissioner,  ap- 
pointed by  the  Mayor.  It  has  three  operating  bureaus,  the 
largest  of  which  is  the  Bureau  of  Water  Supply.  At  its  head 
is  a  Chief  Engineer,  appointed  by  the  Commissioner  and  re- 
sponsible to  him  for  the  operation  and  maintenance  of  the 
water  system.  Of  the  2,100  employees  of  the  department, 
1,470  are  attached  to  the  Bureau  of  Water  Supply.  The 
water  revenue  is  collected  through  the  Bureau  of  Water 
Register,  which  bureau  also  inspects  all  premises  to  determine 
the  proper  water  charges,  establishes  consumers'  accounts, 
examines  fixtures  and  reads  water  meters.  Electric  current 
for  the  operation  of  the  high  pressure  fire  service  pumps  is 
provided  through  the  instrumentality  of  the  Bureau  of  Gas 
and  Electricity.  No  reference  will  be  made  to  departmental 
duties  not  relevant  to  the  subject  matter  of  this  pamphlet.* 

HISTORICAL. 

The  present  City  of  New  York  is  the  result  of  a  con- 
solidation in  1898  of  two  great  cities  and  various  adjacent 
communities.  Their  water  supplies  were  developed  with- 
out regard  to  the  present  city  limits  and  it  was  not  until  1917 
that  New  York  was  served  by  a  system  planned  for  the 
city  as  a  whole.  A  brief  reference  to  the  principal  features 
of  the  important  earlier  systems  will  prove  interesting. 

The  Borough  of  Manhattan,  constituting  the  old  City  of 
New  York,  had,  until  1842,  no  general  water  supply  system, 
although  its  population  at  that  time  amounted  to  over  300,000. 
The  early  settlers  obtained  water  exclusively  from  wells,  some 
of  them  constructed  by  the  city  in  the  important  streets.  The 
first  general  scheme  for  a  supply  of  water  actually  put  into 
operation  was  adopted  by  the  Manhattan  Company  (now  the 
Manhattan  Bank),  which,  in  1800,  sunk  a  well  at  Reade  and 
Centre  streets,  pumped  water  therefrom  into  a  reservoir  on 

*A11  Catskill  construction  work  is  under  tlie  Board  of  Water  Supply,  a  sepa- 
rate organization.  As  such  work  is  completed  it  is  transferred  to  the  Department 
of   Water   Supply,   Gas  and   Electricity   for  maintenance   and  operation. 


GRADtTUNNEL 

fKens'CO  Rtarvoir  to      ,  ^ 


STEEL  PIPE  SIPHON 
{Three pipti  for  toch  siphon) 


PRESSURL  TUNNEL 

Rondoul  Wallkill        -^ 14^' 

Moodna  _     I4'-Z' 

Hution  Brtokrttck.CnltnLake    .l4'-0' 

fonkers _,.  .16-7' 

OlyAfi^xJuct ^.  irto  /S' 


j, 2tO' 

CUT-AND-COVER  AQUEDUCT 

(XensiiP  Heseruoir  lo  Mill  Vitw  Rtsenxir,  \tg^U-or) 


CATSKII_I_     AQUELDUCT 


GRADE  TUNNEL  PRESSURE  TUNNEL 

NEW    CROTON    AQUEDUCT 


OLD  CROTON   AQUtDUCT 


BROOKLYN  AQUEDUCT 


Cross    Section  of   New    York    City   Aqueducts. 

7 


Chambers  street  and  distributed  it  thence  through  wooden 
mains  to  a  portion  of  the  community,  which,  at  that  time,  con- 
sisted of  about  60,000  inhabitants.  The  maximum  amount 
supplied  by  this  company  was  about  700,000  gallons  a  day. 
Tile  initial  step  taken  by  the  old  city  of  New  York  in  reference 
to  public  waterworks  was  the  construction,  in  about  1830,  of 
a  reservoir  at  Thirteenth  street  and  Broadway.  After  con- 
sideration of  numcrcjus  schemes  locjking-  to  the  creation  of  a 
suitable  general  supi)ly,  it  was  decided  to  build  an  aqueduct 
from  the  Croton  River  to  the  city,  to  be  supplied  by  one 
storage  reservoir,  which  aqueduct  (known  to-day  as  the  Old 
Croton  Aqueduct),  with  a  capacity  of  90  m.g.d.,*  was  opened 
in  1842.  This  was  an  event  of  great  importance  in  the  history 
of  older  New  York.  The  distribution  reservoirs  were  at 
Forty-second  street  (abandoned  in  1890)  and  in  Central  Park, 
south  of  Eighty-sixth  street,  the  latter  being  the  rectangular 
reservoir  soon  to  be  abandoned.  In  due  course  this  aqueduct 
became  inadequate  and  in  ISS,-)  a  commission  was  formed  to 
build  a  second  one  from  the  Croton  watershed  as  well  as  addi- 
tional storage  reservoirs  in  that  watershed.  The  second  aque- 
duct, known  as  the  New  Croton  Aqueduct,  was  under  con- 
struction from  1885  to  1893  (though  it  was  used  as  earl^  as 
1890),  and  has  a  capacity  of  300  m.g.d.* 

Of  the  former  Bronx  water  supply  it  is  sufficient  to  say 
that  in  recent  3'ears  nearly  three-quarters  thereof  came  from 
the  Croton  and  the  remainder  from  the  less  important  Bronx 
and  Bryam  watersheds.  The  waters  from  the  latter,  yielding 
about  20  m.g.d.,  were  until  recently  delivered  into  a  pipe  line 
over  fifteen  miles  long,  leading  from  the  former  Kensico  Lake 
to  the  Williamsbridge  reservoir  in  the  Bronx.  This  lake  has 
now  been  merged  in  the  new  Kensico  reservt^ir,  and  at  that 
point  the  waters  from  the  Bronx  and  Byram  watersheds  be- 
come merged  in  the  new  Catskill  supply. 

A  distinguishing  feature  of  the  supplies  from  the  Croton. 
Byram  and  Bronx  watersheds  is  that  they  have  always  been 
delivered  to  the  boroughs  in  which  they  were  used  by  gravity, 
though  it  was  necessary  thereafter  (and  it  still  is  necessary) 
to  pump  a  portion  of  the  Croton  water  to  obtain  adequate 
pressures  to  reach  certain  high  ground.  On  the  other  hand, 
the  former  municipal  water  supplies  of  Brooklyn,  Queens  and 

Note. — "M.g.d."    stands    for   "million   gallons   daily." 


Richmond  were  collected  for  the  most  part  by  wells  and  in- 
filtration galleries.  It  was  necessary,  at  a  great  expense,  to 
pump  the  water  from  the  ground  and  also,  as  a  rule,  there- 
after to  an  appropriate  elevation  before  it  could  be  sent  into 
the  mains  for  distribution.  The  former  City  of  Brooklyn,  like 
the  former  City  of  New  York,  did  not  develop  a  public  water 
supply  system  until  its  population  had  reached  nearly  300,000, 
the  use  of  local  wells  and  cisterns  being  the  only  sources  of 
supply  prior  to  1859.  In  that  year  the  city  began  sending 
water  collected  on  the  south  side  of  Long  Island  into  its  dis- 
tribution system.  The  original  works  ran  easterly  to  the 
Hempstead  Valley.  Later  they  were  extended  to  Massape- 
qua.  Long  Island,  and  the  great  Alilburn  and  the  Ridgewood 
South  Side  pumping  stations  constructed. 

For  the  Borough  of  Queens  no  municipal  waterworks  of 
magnitude  have  been  constructed.  Prior  to  1913  the  First 
Ward  was  served  by  three  local  municipal  pumping  stations 
and  by  private  water  companies.  Between  1913  and  1917  it 
was  served  largely  from  the  Brooklyn  watershed.  The  Third 
Ward,  prior  to  1917,  was  served  by  two  municipal  pumping 
stations,  while  the  Second,  Fourth  and  Fifth  Wards  were  and 
still  are  supplied  by  private  water  companies,  their  sources  of 
supply  being  ground  water  collected  by  means  of  driven  wells. 

Prior  to  1917  the  Borough  of  Richmond  was  dependent 
for  its  supply  on  ground  water  drawn  from  wells.  Until  1909, 
except  as  to  Tottenville,  it  was  served  by  private  water  com- 
panies, the  principal  of  which  were  in  that  year  acquired  by 
the  city.  The  last  of  the  private  companies  in  this  borough 
was  acquired  by  the  city  in  1917. 

Some  twenty  years  ago  the  necessity  was  foreseen  of  pro- 
viding a  large  additional  water  supply  for  the  use  of  Greater 
New  York,  but  it  was  not  until  1902  that  definite  steps  were 
taken  to  formulate  and  execute  such  a  plan.  In  that  year  a 
commission  of  engineers  was  appointed  which,  after  careful 
study,  recommended  that  the  city  go  to  the  Catskills  for  ad- 
ditional water.  In  1905  the  Board  of  Water  Sujjply — not  to 
be  confused  with  the  Department  of  Water  Supply,  Gas  and 
IClcctricity — was  created  by  act  of  the  Legislature  and  pro- 
ceeded forthwith  to  i)lan  and  construct  the  works  for  im- 
pounding the  waters  of  the  Esopus,  one  of  the  four  watersheds 
in  the  Catskills,  upon  which  the  city  had  planned  to  draw, 


••AAMaaMHte 


^gj-  '^^  !_;" "  -   •  _^/^^^^^T* 


Ashokan   Reservoir. 


Ashokan  Reservoir   Spillway. 

10 


and  for  deliverins^  such  waters  throuj^hout  New  York  City. 
This  mounmental  work,  commonly  known  as  the  Catskill  sys- 
tem, was  successfully  completed  and  turned  over  to  this  de- 
partment for  operation  in  1917.  The  Board  of  Water  Supply 
is  now  eng;a,L^efl  in  developing  another  of  the  Catskill  water- 
sheds, the  Schoharie,  from  which  it  is  expected  to  derive  about 
250  m.g.d.  beginning-  with  the  year  1924. 

WATERSHEDS,      RESERVOIRS     AND      AQUEDUCTS 

NOW      IN      USE— THE     CATSKILL     AND 

CROTON     SUPPLIES. 

The  municipality  now  draws  its  water  alnu)St  exclusively 
from  (1)  the  Esopus  (Catskill),  (2)  the  Croton,  (3)  the  Byram 
and  Bronx  watersheds.  Some  7  m.g.d.  is  drawn  from  wells  in 
Richmond  to  supplement  the  Catskill  supply  and  at  times 
slightly  over  20  m.g.d.  has  been  drawn  from  the  Long  Island 
watershed  to  reduce  the  draft  on  the  Catskill  system  in  Brook- 
lyn. As  a  result  of  the  introductic^n  of  the  water  from  the 
Catskills,  the  city's  watersheds  on  Long  Island  and  Staten 
Island  are  now  largely  in  disuse.  I  low  soon  the  reserve  sup- 
ply will  be  again  drawn  on  depends  on  a  number  of  factors, 
such  as  the  growth  of  the  city,  the  future  per  capita  consump- 
tion of  water  and  whether  or  not  other  sources  of  supply 
are  developed.  The  aqueducts  in  use  at  this  time  are  the 
Catskill  and  the  new  Croton,  the  old  Croton  aqueduct  being 
held  in  reserve.  Brief  descriptions  of  the  Catskill  and  Croton 
systems  follow. 

The  Esopus  watershed  in  the  Catskill  Mountains,  with  an 
area  of  257  square  miles,  has  been  developed  to  yield  a  safe 
minimum  of  250  m.g.d.,  the  precise  amount  varying  with  the 
rainfall.  The  average  present  draft  is  about  375  m.g.d.  Its 
waters  are  collected  in  the  Ashokan  reservoir,  with  an  avail- 
able capacity  of  127,700  m.g.  and  at  an  elevation  of  about 
590  feet.  This  capacity  can  be  increased  to  130,400  m.g.  by 
placing  flash  boards  on  the  overflow  dam.  The  water  from 
this  reservoir  is  sent  l)y  gravity  into  the  five  boroughs  of  the 
city.  It  first  passes  through  the  Catskill  aqueduct,  which 
extends  a  distance  of  ninety-two  miles  from  the  Ashokan  reser- 
voir to  the  northerly  city  limits,  crossing  the  Hudson  by  means 
of  a  tunnel  in  rock  at  Storm  King  Mountain  at  a  depth  of 
1,114  feet  below  sea  level.  From  the  city  limits  it  passes 
through  the  Bronx  and  Manhattan  b}'  means  of  the  continua- 

U 


Croton    Dam    and    Spillway. 


Kensico  Dam. 

12 


tion  of  the  aqueduct,  knowu  as  the  City  Tunnel,  lying  from 
200  to  750  feet  below  the  street  surfaces,  thence  beneath  the 
]£ast  Ri\er  to  two  terminal  shafts  in  Brooklyn,  whence  steel 
and  iron  pipe  conduits  carry  it  into  the  boroughs  of  Queens 
and  Richmond.  The  conduit  leading  to  Richmond  passes  be- 
neath the  Narrows.  The  terminal  of  the  Catskill  system  is 
Siher  Lake  reservoir  on  Staten  Island,  with  a  capacity  of 
about  438  m.g.  The  distance  from  Ashokan  reservoir  to  Silver 
Lake  is  about  120  miles,  and  at  the  averag'e  velocity  of  flow 
the  water  requires  about  three  days  to  travel  this  distance. 
The  Catskill  aqueduct  is  twice  as  long  as  the  greatest  Roman 
aqueduct. 

Kensico  reservoir,  with  an  available  capacity  of  30,573 
m.g.  (or  sufficient  to  supply  the  city  with  water  for  about  two 
months,),  has  been  built  on  the  line  of  the  Catskill  aqueduct, 
near  Valhalla,  as  a  storage  reservoir  for  the  purpose  of  main- 
taining the  su])])ly  of  the  city  when  the  aqueduct  north  of  that 
point  may  be  temporarily  out  of  service.  As  already  stated, 
it  receives  also  the  water  from  the  Byram  and  Bronx  water- 
sheds. Llill  View  reservoir,  located  within  the  limits  of  Yon- 
kers  and  fifteen  miles  south  of  Kensico  reservoir,  has  been 
constructed  to  regulate  the  flow  of  water  as  between  the  aque- 
duct, where  it  is  relatively  steady,  and  the  city  mains,  in  which 
it  varies  from  hour  to  hour.  It  holds  929  m.g.  of  water  and 
has  a  depth  of  36}4  feet.  Its  elevation  of  295  feet  above  sea 
level  determines  the  "head"  of  the  Catskill  supply. 

The  Catskill  aqueduct  is  either  circular  or  horseshoe  in 
section,  ^\•ith  a  maximum  height  of  17^  feet  and  a  capacity  of 
at  least  500  m.g.d.  Tt  will  not  be  utilized  to  capacty  until  the 
v^choharie  watershed  shall  have  been  developed  (at  which  time 
additional  pipe  sii)hons  across  certain  valleys  must  be  built,  as 
the  ]')rescnt  si])hons  limit  the  cai)acity  to  about  375  m.g.d.). 
The  Catskill  supply  is  deli\'ered  to  the  street  mains  in  the  bor- 
oughs of  Manhattan  and  the  Bronx  through  nineteen  water- 
way shafts,  and  from  the  Brooklyn  terminal  shafts  large,  steel 
pipe  conduits  have  been  laid  in  the  streets  to  supply  the  bor- 
oughs of  Brooklyn,  Queens  and  Richmond. 

14ie  Croton  ^vaters1u■d  has  an  area  of  3,75  s(|uarc  miles  and 
may  be  counted  u])on  to  }ield  a  mininnun  of  336  m.g«d.,  the 
average  yield  being  400  m.g.d.  Its  waters  are  collected 
through  twelve  storage  reservoirs  and  six  controlled  lakes,  the 

13 


^^^-^^-^■--  -^"{rfOS^',  1 


Catskill  Aqueduct   Passing   Beneath   Hudson   River    North   of  West   Point. 


Construction   of   Catskill   36-lnch    Pipe    Line   to    Staten    Island    Beneath   the    Narrows. 


14 


lowest  and  largest  of  which  is  known  as  Croton  Lake  about 
20  miles  loni,^  At  the  westerly  end  of  this  lake  is  the  Croton 
Dam,  an  imfxjsin^  masonry  structure  built  between  1892  and 
1905,  at  a  cost  of  approximately  .$17,000,000  (includinq;  land). 
The  spillway  of  this  dam  is  at  an  elevation  of  about  200  feet. 
The  total  a\aihd)le  capacity  of  all  the  reservoirs  on  this  water- 
shed is  104.443  m.'^.  The  two  Croton  aqueducts  have  a  com- 
bined capacity  of  390  m.i>-.d.,  or  slightly  less  than  the  average 
yield  above  mentioned.  The  length  of  each  to  the  city  line  is 
about  twent\'-four  miles.  The  old  aqueduct  crosses  the  ?Iar- 
lem  Ri\cr  at  and  by  means  of  Ilighbridge,  while  the  new  aque- 
duct passes  underneath  the  Harlem  River  near  180th  street  at 
a  depth  of  300  feet  below  the  river  surface.  Practically  all 
Croton  water  reaching  Manhattan  is  carried  to  the  gatehouse 
at  135th  street  and  Amsterdam  avenue,  except  that  taken  from 
the  new  Croton  aqueduct  at  the  pumping  station  at  179th 
street  and  Harlem  River.  From  the  gatehouse  all  Croton 
water  goes  by  gravity  into  the  mains,  either  directly  or  through 
the  (listril)uling  reservoirs  in  Central  Park,  except  that  which 
may  be  sent  tt)  the  pumping  station  at  Xinety-eighth  street  and 
Ctikunbus  avenue.  The  Central  Park  reservoirs  have  an  ele- 
vation of  119  feet. 

QUALITY  OF  THE  WATER. 
The  city  makes  unremitting  effort  to  keep  the  water  free 
from  pollution. 

(a)  A  uniformed  force  under  a  sanitary  expert  is  engaged 
in  patrolling  the  watersheds  to  detect  and  abate  sources  of 
contamination  and  to  see  to  it  that  the  department's  sanitary 
rules  and  regulations  are  observed. 

(b)  All  water  is  treated  with  chlorine.  The  Croton  is  so 
treated  at  Dunwoodie.  near  Yonkers ;  also  portions  thereof  at 
sundr\-  j)oints  on  the  watershed  ;  the  Catskill  as  it  enters  the 
Ashokan  reservoir,  and  also  at  the  Kensico  reservoir.  The 
use  of  chlorine  to  destroy  bacteria  is  recognized  as  a  generally 
efficient  means  of  i^rotecting  a  ct)mnumity  against  disease  be- 
ing transmitted  through  its  water  supply.  Tt  is  ap])lie(l  in 
amounts  so  small  (usually  about  one  pound  of  chlorine  to 
500,000  gallons  of  water)  that  there  is  no  resulting  taste  or 
odor. 

(c)  All  Catskill  water  may  be  aerated  to  free  it  from  gases 
and  in  some  cases  from  microscopic  organisms  which,  though 

15 


and  in  some  cases  fnjin  niicrosc<)i)ic  orj^anims  which,  ihouj^h 
harmless,  may  nevertheless  produce  an  unpleasant  odor  or 
taste.  It  is  only  at  limes  that  the  water  recpiires  such  treat- 
ment. The  aerators,  each  consistino  of  some  1,800  fountains, 
are  installed  at  the  Ashokan  and  Kensico  reservoirs. 

(d)  Microscopic  organisms  which  develop  in  the  reser- 
voirs and  at  times  impart  an  un])leasant  taste  and  odur  t(j  the 
water,  though  in  no  sense  harmful  to  health,  are  destroyed  by 
treatment  with  copper  sulphate. 

(e)  The  department  is  resisting-  the  inslallalinn  of  addi. 
tional  State  institutions  on  any  of  the  watersheds.  Experi- 
ence shows  that  the  operation  of  sewage  disposal  jilants  (es- 
pecially at  institutions)  is  Hable  to  interruption,  while  the 
general  contamination  of  the  water  supply  resulting  from 
large  aggregations  of  people,  many  of  them  undisciplined, 
residing  within  a  restricted  area,  is  a  menace  which  should 
not  be  allowed  unnecessarily  to  arise. 

(f)  At  two  laboratories  daily  bacteriological  examinations 
are  made  of  samples  of  water -taken  at  seventeen  different 
points.  Additional  samples  from  sources  of  supply  which  do 
not  require  daily  investigation  result  in  the  laboratories  exam- 
ining over  thirteen  thousand  samples  during  the  year.  In  case 
any  portion  of  the  supply  is  shown  to  be  unsatisfactory,  either 
its  use  is  discontinued  or  the  objectionable  conditions  are 
ascertained  and  remedied.  The  laboratories  in  cjuestion  are 
well  equipped  with  modern  apparatus  and  are  located,  respec- 
tively, at  Mount  Prospect  reservoir,  Brooklyn,  at  Mount  Kisco 
and  at  the  Ashokan  gatehouse,  where  Catskill  water  is  tested. 

(g)  The  department  has  recently  forbidden  the  introduc- 
tion of  water  from  any  private  wells  or  other  auxiliary  water 
supply  into  the  pipes  through  which  w^ater  supplied  by  the 
municipality  flows,  unless  the  same  has  been  first  approved 
by  the  Board  of  Health  as  suitable  for  domestic  use. 

How  successful  the  city  has  been  in  maintaining  the 
quality  of  its  water  is  shown  in  part  by  the  low  typhoid  death 
rate,  which  is  now  at  its  lowest  known  point,  namely.  2.0  per 
100.000,  nor  does  the  department  concede  that  any  of  these 
deaths  are  due  to  impure  water;  rather  arc  they  traceable  to 
oysters,  milk,  uncooked  vegetables  and  ice  cream,  or  to  dis- 
ease contracted  beyond  the  city  limits. 

The  quality  of  the  water  supplied  by  the  city  is  excellent 

16 


Laboratory    at    Mount    Prospect,    Brooklyn. 


Chlorinating    Plant   at    Dunwoodie. 


17 


for  all  i)iirposes.  At  the  lime  of  its  delivery  from  the  reser- 
voirs into  the  mains  it  is  clear  and  wholesome  and  safer  to 
drink  than  most  bottled  waters.  If  water  is  dirty  as  it  runs 
from  faucets,  this  is  generally  due  to  rust  or  accumulations 
within  house  tanks  or  piping,  for  which  the  city  is  not  re- 
sponsible. The  Catskill  water  is  particularly  well  suited  for 
business  uses,  for  it  is  very  soft  and  very  low  in  iron  content 
and  corrosive  constituents.  A  soft  water  reduces  the  use  of 
soap  in  laundries,  in  silk  dyeing  establishments  and  in  the 
household ;  it  aids  in  procuring  correct  colors  in  dyes  and  in 
silk  dyeing" ;  it  affects  favorably  the  operation  of  powerhouses, 
breweries  and  photographic  establishments  and  reduces  cor- 
rosion in  local  house  piping  and  other  fixtures.  A  soft  water 
with  low  corrosive  action  eliminates  to  a  great  extent  scale 
in  boilers  and  corrosion  of  tubes,  thereby  reducing  the  cost 
of  steam  production  and  the  probability  of  accident.  The 
Catskill  supply  is  softer  than  either  the  Croton  or  the  former 
Brooklyn  and  Queens  supplies.  The  former  Ivichmond  supply 
had  a  hardness  ten  times  as  great  at  that  of  Catskill  water. 
The  use  of  softer  water  will  mean  aggregate  savings  of  hun- 
dreds of  thousands  of  dollars,  affecting  many  classes  of 
consumers  in  Greater  New  York. 

The  question  whether  or  not  the  water  supply  of  New 
York  should  be  filtered  was  considered  in  1910,  the  then 
responsible  authorities  reaching  the  conclusion  that  it  was  not 
necessary  to  do  so  at  that  time.  (With  the  growth  of  the  com- 
munities on  the  watersheds  and  under  an  insistent  public 
demand  the  subject  wall,  in  due  course,  undoubtedly  again 
receive  attention.  Meanwhile,  it  should  be  remembered  that 
in  addition  to  the  mechanical  means  of  purification  above  de- 
scribed, the  long  period  of  sedimentation  in  the  reservoirs 
operates  still  further  to  purify  the  water. 

CONSUMPTION  AND  WASTE  OF  WATER. 

The  dailv  aggregate  consumption  of  water  within  Creater 
New  York  exceeds  660  m.g.d.,  including  the  40  m.g.d.,  more 
or  less,  furnished  by  the  private  water  companies  of  Brooklyn 
.  and  Queens.  Thus  the  municipality  supplies  about  620  m.g.d., 
or  somewhat  over  100  gallons  per  capita  to  those  whom  it 
serves.  Figures  already  cited  show  that  the  Croton,  By  ram. 
Bronx  and  Esopus  (Catskill)  watersheds  may,  with  average 
rainfall,  be  reasonably  counted  on  to  yield  together  at  least 

18 


750  m.g.d.,  and  it  follows  that  just  now  New  York  City  has 
available  a  supply  of  water  well  in  excess  of  its  needs.  Cats- 
kill  water  is  being  used  to  nearly  the  full  present  capacity  of 
the  Catskill  aqueduct,  because  through  its  greater  pressure  it 
constitutes  the  least  expensive  of  the  supplies  to  operate,  and 
so  it  comes  about  that  at  the  present  time  about  three-fifths  of 
the  water  used  is  Catskill  and  two-fifths  Croton.  As  much 
Croton  water  as  it  is  possible  to  distribute  by  gravity  is  now 
being  withdrawn  for  use,  and  no  further  substantial  amount  of 
Croton  water  could  be  used  except  after  i)uniping  to  give  ade- 
quate pressure.  For  this  reason  the  department  selects  Croton 
water  as  the  excess  water  which  shall  run  to  waste,  in  so  far 
as  any  must  run  to  waste.  This  is  a  vital  fact  to  be  remem- 
bered in  any  consideration  of  the  present  surplus  of  water. 
Other  points  to  be  considered  are  (a)  that  the  annual  growth 
in  consumption  will  absorb  more  and  more  of  this  surplus,  and 
(b)  that  it  will  be  almost,  if  not  entirely,  eliminated  by  a 
succession  of  dry  years. 

The  consumption  figures  include  the  water  that  is  lost 
through  leaks  in  mains  and  fixtures  and  wasted  through  reck- 
less use.  Hiis  is  a  large  subject  with  which  it  is  impossible 
to  deal  fully  here.  Since  1912  leaks  from  water  mains  and 
house  services  within  street  limits,  representing  in  all  7S 
m.g.d.,  have  been  located  and  stopped,  an  amount  suificient  to 
supply  a  city  of  about  750,000  inhabitants.  The  daily  aggre- 
gate waste  within  buildings  where  the  services  are  not  metered 
is  known  to  be  a  very  large  amount.  The  department  is,  to 
the  best  of  its  ability,  endeavoring  to  reduce  such  waste 
through  house  inspections,  but  this  is  a  slow  process  and  one 
in  which  it  is  often  difficult  to  secure  the  required  co-operation 
on  the  part  of  the  citizens.  The  most  effective  known  remedy 
against  waste  within  houses  is  the  installation  of  water  meters, 
for  each  householder  then  has  a  personal  interest  in  reducing 
it  to  a  minimum.  Leaky  fixtures  and  allowing  water  to  run 
on  cold  nights  to  prevent  i)ipes  from  freezing  are  much  less 
likely  to  occur  where  the  size  of  water  bills  depends  upt)n  the 
precise  quantity  of  water  used  than  where  a  lump  sum  is  paid 
for  the  water  sui)plied,  irres])ccti\e  of  the  (|uanlity  used. 
Aleters  have,  been  installed  generally  in  New  ^'ork  on  services 
where  water  is  used  iov  business  consumption.  It  sht)uld  be 
realized  by  all  that  water  is  not  oidy  a  priiduct  of  great  value, 

19 


but  a  very  costly  product  by  the  time  it  has  Ijccn  placed  at  the 
disposal  of  consumers  in  a  large  city.  The  necessity  of  con- 
serving the  supply  is  perhaps  best  illustrated  Ijy  the  fact  that 
the  city  is  now  engaged  in  developing  the  Schoharie  watershed 
in  the  Catskills,  at  a  cost  of  over  $20,000,000  in  anticipaticm  of 
the  increased  requirements  of  the  not  distant   future. 

UTILIZATION    OF    THE    CATSKILL    AND    CROTON 

SUPPLIES— PUMPING  CROTON  WATER  TO 

GIVE  IT  ADEQUATE  PRESSURE. 

The  uses  to  which  the  Catskill  and  Crctlon  supi>hcs  are 
put  are  determined  largely  by  the  elevation  of  the  respective 
points  from  which  they  flow  into^the  distributing  mains.  In 
the  case  of  the  Catskill  such  point  is  Hill  \'iew  rcserx'oir  with 
an  elevation  of  295  feet.  In  the  case  of  the  Croton  such  points 
are  Jerome  Park  reservoir,  the  135th  Street  gatehouse  and 
the  Central  Park  reservoir,  with  respective  elevations  of  134, 
124  and  119  feet.  The  "head"  of  the  Catskill  supply  is  thus 
nearly  two  and  a  half  times  that  of  the  Croton,  sufftcient  to 
send  it  by  gravity  to  all  portions  of  the  Bronx  and  Brooklyn 
and  to  all  buildings  of  average  height  in  other  than  the  very 
highest  portions  of  the  three  remaining  boroughs.  'Jlie  greater 
"head"  of  the  Catskill  renders  it  the  more  valuable  of  the 
two  supplies. 

Only  Catskill  water  is  now  mainly  used  for  the  municipal 
service  in  Brooklyn,  Queens  and  Richmond,  about  200  m.g.d. 
being  required  for  this  purptise.  Such  use  of  Catskill  water 
has  made  it  possi])le  to  virtually  disi)ense  with  the  costly 
pumping  of  water  from  the  ground  in  these  boroughs  and  thus 
to  effect  an  annual  saving  estimated  on  the  basis  of  normal 
prices  at  about  $600,000  net.  In  addition,  about  50  m.  g.  of 
Catskill  water  are  being  used  daily  to  sujiply  the  high  ground 
in  the  Bronx.  The  remainder  is  available  for  Manhattan  and 
most  of  it  is  used  in  lower  Manhattan  to  suppl}-  the  important 
mercantile  sections  with  adequate  pressures. 

Croton  water  is  used  in  portions  of  Manhattan  and  the 
Bronx.  All  that  is  used  on  ground  with  an  elevation  greater 
than  40  feet  or  thereabouts  must  first  be  ])umped  to  give  it 
adequate  pressure.  About  65  .m.g.d.  are  normally  l^ejing 
pumped  for  this  purpose  at  the  department's  two  pumping 
stations    situated    respectively    at    179th    Street    and    Harlem 

20 


River  and  at  98th  Street  and  Colnmbns  Avcnne.  The  water 
so  pumped  serves  Iniilding's  on  certain  hij^h  ground  in  upper 
and  central  Manhattan.  'J'hc  Jerome  Park  pumi)ing"  station 
in  the  Bronx,  heretofore  used  to  pump  Croton  water,  was  idle 
from  February,  1917,  when  the  use  of  Catskill  water  in  that 
boruugh  became  general,  until  May,  1919.  when  the  operation 
of  this  station  \\as  resumed  to  reduce  the  draft  on  Catskill 
supplw  It  may  not  l)e  necessary  to  run  this  station  in  1920. 
A  small  amount  of  Catskill  water  is  ])um])ed  in  the  Third 
\\  aril  of  Oueens  and  in  kiclimond  for  ust'  on  the  highest 
ground  of  those  boroughs.  In  Kichmond  also  about  7  m.g.d. 
is  ])uniped  from  wells  to  augment  the  Catskill  sui)ply. 

'Jdie  only  Catskill  water  available  during  the  next  few 
years  will  be  that  from  the  i-'sopus  watershed,  the  maximum 
quantit}'  of  which  is  practically  hxed,  .and  any  increase  in  con- 
sumption in  the  areas  su]»plie(l  by  it  must  be  obtained  from 
other  sources.  The  only  other  available  sources  (until  the 
Schoharie  watershed  shall  have  been  developed)  are  (1) 
pumped  Croton  water  and  (2)  \\ater  to  be  deri\  ed  through  the 
resumption  of  pumping  on  the  Long  Island  watershed  and 
on  Staten  Island.  The  former  is  a  far  more  economical  source 
of  supply  than  the  latter,  l)Ut  after  the  Jerome  I 'ark  station 
shall  have  again  been  ])ut  in  commission  and  the  maximum 
capacity  of  this  and  the  two  Manhattan  stations  for  jiumping 
Croton  water  reached  (stich  total  ma.xinnnn  capacity  being 
about  100  m.g.d.),  it  may  and  doubtless  will  be  necessary  again 
to  resort  to  pumping  on   the   Long  Island  watershe(l. 

WATER  PRESSURES. 

Since  the  introduction  of  the  Catskill  sup]ily  water  i)rcs- 
sures  in  Manhattan  ha\e  undergone  gre.it  im])ro\ cment.  In 
many  districts  tluia'  has  been  ;in  incri'a'^e  ol  Iritm  2^  to  35 
pounds  and  in  se\eral  sectious  tlu'  cost  of  ])ri\ate  ])umping 
in  buildings  has  been  greatly  reduced  or  the  necessity  there- 
for entirely  eliminated.  IVessures  still  remain  unsatisfactory 
in  certain  sections  on  the  east  side  of  Manhattrni  and  in  the 
central  part  of  that  borough  between  14th  and  .Uth  Streets. 
This  has  been  occasioned  by  the  increased  demands  for  water 
since  the  Catskill  sujijily  was  first  furnished  and  the  policy  of 
reducing  costs  b\-  holding  stations  in  reserve. 

There    is    planneil    a    minimum    pressure    of    30    pmmds 

21 


throughout  Manhattan  and  at  many  places  the  pressures  will 
be  from  (>()  to  65  pounds. 

The  ])rc'ssurcs  in  the  lironx  ha\e  been  increased  where 
required,  but  no  general  increase  was  necessary.  In  Brooklyn 
there  has  been  an  increase  of  from  5  to  10  pounds  through- 
out the  greater  i)art  of  the  low  service  area.  In  the  First  Ward 
of  Queens  the  pressures  have  been  increased  about  20  pounds. 
There  has  been  no  general  change  iri  the  Third  Ward  of 
Queens  or  in  Richmond.  The  minimum  pressure  supplied  by 
the  municipality  in  the  boroughs  of  Brooklyn,  Queens  and 
Richmond  is  30  pounds  except  in  certain  small  isolated  areas, 
while  the  average  pressure  is  over  40  pounds. 

DISTRIBUTION   SYSTEMS. 

The  demand  for  water  is  subject  to  more  or  less  variation 
during  the  course  of  the  day,  while  during  certain  morning 
hours  it  is  twice  or  three  times  as  great  as  shortly  after  mid- 
night. To  meet  this  situation  distributing  reservoirs  are  nec- 
essary, and  the  principal  ones  are  those  located  at  Hill  View, 
at  Jerome  Park  and  in  Central  Park. 

The  total  length  of  city-owned  water  mains  within 
Greater  New  York  is  about  3,000  miles,  exclusive  of  high  pres- 
sure fire  service  mains,  hereinafter  more  fully  referred  to. 
They  vary  in  diameter  from  4  to  66  inches,  the  usual  size  on 
residential  streets  being  6  or  8  inches.  Connected  with  them 
are  45,400  fire  hydrants.  Some  69,000  gates  control  the  flow  in 
the  mains  and  to  the  hydrants.  There  are  about  397,000  con- 
nections, known  as  services,  through  wdiich  water  is  drawn 
for  domestic  or  business  purposes.  The  mains  are  chiefly  of 
cast  iron  and  some  of  them  were  laid  as  many  as  seventy-five 
years  ago.  The  life  of  a  cast  iron  main  depends  largely  upon 
the  character  of  the  water,  although  electrolysis  and  local  out- 
side deterioration  are  occasional  factors.  In  Manhattan  at  least 
a  hundred  years  should  elapse  before  internal  corrosion  so 
weakens  a  main  as  to  necessitate  its  removal.  There  are  cast 
iron  pipes  now  in  use  in  France  which  were  laid  over  two 
hundred  and  fifty  years  ago.  The  cost  of  an  8-inch  main  and 
of  the  laying  thereof  is  about  $6,000  a  mile  under  normal  price 
conditions  and  where  there  is  no  rock  excavation.  \Miere 
there  is  rock  excavation,  or  where  a  modern  pavement  must 
be  cut  and  replaced,  such  cost  is  nearly  doubled. 

22 


To  cope  with  the  situations  which  arise  when  breaks 
occur  in  the  mains,  repair  companies  are  maintained  in  each 
borougii.  'J'here  are  seventeen  of  these  ccnnpanies,  comprising 
in  all  about  675  men.  J\Iost  of  them  are  manned  twenty-fuur 
hours  a  day  and  all  are  provided  with  motor  trucks  for  quick 
transportation.  While  during  the  course  of  a  year  several 
thousand  leaks  occur  in  the  water  mains  calling  for  repairs,  yet 
the  number  of  important  breaks  is  relati\ely  small.  'IMie 
latter  are  often  attributable  to  the  fre((uent  underground 
changes  in  the  streets  of  New  York  whit-li  rcsuH  in  the  settle- 
ment of  the  fill  supporting  the  mains. 

The  introduction  of  C'atskill  water  necessitated  many 
readjustments  ui  the  distri1)iUion  system  in  all  of  the  bor- 
oughs, but  this  work  has  been  so  performed  that  the  .system 
can  be  readily  re-adapted  to  the  old  methods  of  supply. 

CONTROLLING  THE   LOCATION   OF   SUB-SURFACE 
STRUCTURES. 

The  department  determines  the  location  not  only  of  water 
mains,  but  of  all  other  sub-surface  structures  (such  as  elec- 
trical ccMuluits,  gas  mains,  steam  pipes  and  pneumatic  tubes) 
except  sewers  and  rapid  transit  tunnels.  This  great  power  is 
vested  in  the  department  as  the  successor  in  interest  of  the 
Board  of  Electrical  C"ontrol.  Its  special  significance  here  is 
that  it  enables  the  department  to  see  to  it  that  ready  access 
to  water  mains  is  left  for  the  purpose  of  repairs  and  connec- 
tions and  that  proper  si>acc  is  reserved  for  the  installation  of 
future  mains. 

HIGH  PRESSURE  FIRE  SERVICE. 

The  Department.  t)f  Water  Sui:)])ly,  Gas  and  Electricity 
has  most  important  duties  to  perform  in  conneclion  with  the 
protection  of  the  city  against  fire.  Jt  not  only  sup[)lics  water 
at  the  propel"  pressure  and  installs  the  mains  through  which 
it  runs  and  the  fire  hydrants  through  which  it  is  drawn  from 
the  mains,  but  it  also  oi)erates  in  portions  of  Manhattan  and 
Brooklyn  and  at  Coney  Island  a  special  ser\ice  knt)\vn  as  the 
high-pressure  fire  service.  One  of  the  Manhattan  statit)ns  is 
at  Oliver  and  South  Streets  and  the  other  at  (lansevoort  and 
West  Streets.  There  are  two  similar  stations  in  Brooklyn, 
located   respectively   at    I''urnian    and   Joralemon    ."-Streets    and 

23 


High    Pressure    Fire    Service    Pumping    Station,    Gansevoort    Street,    Manhattan. 


Water  Meter  Testing  Station,   Manhattan. 

24 


at  Willoughby  and  St.  Edwards  Streets.     The  Coney  Island 
station  is  at  Twcll'ili   Street  and   Neptune  Avenue. 

There  are  about  49,500  lire  hych^ants  in  (Ireater  New  Vt^rk, 
4,100  of  which  are  on  the  hii^li  i)ressure  hre  service  in  the  b(jr- 
out^hs  of  Manhattan  and  Brooklyn.  The  low  pressure  fire 
hydrant  furnishes  at  best  a  pressure  utterly  inadequate  for 
the  extins^uishnient  of  fires  in  New  \'i)rk.  'i'lu-  stream  fnmi  a 
fire  hose  attached  to  such  a  hydrant  wduM  be  insufficient  in 
volume  and  would  not  reach  beyond  tin-  third  story  of  a  l)uild- 
ing'.  The  purpose  of  the  fire  engine  is  to  furnish  pressure  and 
create  an  efificient  stream,  and  the  pumps  at  the  high-pressure 
fire  service  stations  perform  this  service  far  more  efiicientl\' 
than  do  the  fire  engines.  Through  each  of  the  Manhattan 
stations  a  supply  of  w'ater  may  be  furnished  about  ecpial  to 
that  of  forty  fire  engines.  The  capacity  of  a  single  high- 
pressure  hydrant  is  ample  to  furnish  as  many  lire  streams  as 
are  furnished  by  five  ordinary  fire  engines.  \\'ith  a  60-foot 
water  tower  in  the  street  the  stream  may  be  made  to  reach 
the  fourteenth  story  of  a  building.  So  great  is  the  pressure 
furnished  by  this  system  that  a  good  stream  can  be  delivered 
from  a  standpipe  at  the  top  of  a  forty-story  l)uilding.  In  the 
area  served  by  it  fire  engines  are  rarely  if  ever  used,  though 
some  are  still  brought  to  fires  as  a  matter  of  jtrecaution. 

The  length  of  the  high  pressure  lire  ser\  ice  mains  in 
Manhattan  is  128  miles,  and  in  Brooklyn  45  miles.  The  lower 
East  Side  of  the  Manhattan  system  is  arranged  so  that  it  may 
be  divided  instantaneously  into  two  independent  systems; 
\\  hen  so  di\ided,  each  sxstem  ser\  es  the  alternate  cross  streets 
and  the  alternate  streets  running  north  .md  siiuh.  In  case 
of  a  break  only  one  system  would  be  atfected.  as  the 
other  would  be  shut  off  from  it  imnuMJiale'.N-  by  \al\i's  electri- 
cally o])erated  from  the  jjumping  stations. 

The  high  ])ressure  tire  service  stations  are  oi)erated 
througli  high-\-oltage  current  furnished  in  .Manhattan  by  the 
New  York  TMlison  t'ompan\-,  and  in  Uvooklyn  by  the  lulison 
Electric  Illuminating  C"om])any.  Tiie  (,dne\  Island  engines 
are  gas  drixcn.  Prior  to  the  intnuluction  t>f  the  C"atskill  suj)- 
ply,  with  its  great  pressure,  the  initial  pressure  furnished  in 
Manhattan  was  125  and  in  I'.rooklyn  7S  ])ounds  per  scpiare 
inch.  'With  Catskill  water  a\ailable  a  consi.inl  prosure  of 
between    100  and    125   pounds   per  scpiart'   inch   can   l>e   main- 

25 


Ridgewood   Pumping    Station,   Brooklyn    (in   Reserve). 


Millburn    Pumping    Station,    Long    Island    Watershed    (in    Reserve). 


26 


tained  and  the  pumps  at  the  stations  in  Brooklyn  are  only 
operated  for  the  larger  fires.  Upon  the  request  of  the  Fire 
Department  the  pressure  can  be  increased  up  to  300  pounds 
per  square  inch.  At  Coney  Island  the  limit  of  pressure  is  150 
pounds  per  square  inch.  When  an  alarm  is  received  pres- 
sure is  furnished  throughout  each  of  the  systems  within  the 
period  of  a  minute. 

Salt  water  can  be  used  in  this  system,  but  since  it  cor- 
rodes the  pipes  and  damages  merchandise,  its  use  is  not  con- 
templated in  Manhattan  or  Brooklyn,  unless  the  fresh  water 
supply  were  to  fail,  which  has  never  yet  (u'curred.  At  Coney 
Island  salt  water  is  used  in  conjunction  with  fresh  water. 

MUNICIPAL  WATER  SUPPLY  SYSTEMS  PLACED  IN 

RESERVE. 

In  the  early  part  of  1917,  soon  after  it  had  been,  demon- 
strated that  reliance  could  be  placed  upon  the  new  Catskill 
aqueduct,  the  department  began  gradually  shutting  down  its 
water  supply  system  on  Long  Island,  which  formerly  served 
the  boroughs  of  Brooklyn  and  Queens,  except  in  so  far  as  these 
boroughs  were  served  by  private  water  companies,  and  that  on 
Staten  Island.  From  ten  to  thirty  days  must  elapse  before 
operations  at  most  of  the  pumping  stations  of  these  systems 
can  be  resumed.     Following  are  brief  descriptions  thereof. 

The  main  Long  Island  watershed  lies  easterly  from  Brook- 
lyn, extending  a  distance  of  about  23  miles  to  Amityville  and 
containing  about  168  square  miles.  The  ci^iditions  on  this 
watershed  are  the  exact  opposite  of  those  on  the  Croton  water- 
•  shed,  where  storage  of  water  on  the  surface  is  the  economical 
method  of  obtaining  and  holding  a  large  part  of  the  rainfall. 
On  the  Long  Island  watershed  the  storage  of  any  large 
quantity  of  water  on  the  surface  is  impracticable,  owing  to 
the  pervious  soil  and  shght  changes  in  ground  level,  and  there 
are  no  large  storage  reservoirs.  Most  of  the  water  flows 
underground  and  must  l)c  ])Uinpc(|  tlu'refrom.  It  is  collected 
by  infiltration  galleries  or  driven  wells.  The  intiltration  gal- 
leries laid  for  nearly  six  miles  about  ten  to  fifteen  feet  below 
the  water  table  may  be  made  to  yit-ld  between  30  and  40 
m.g.d..  while  the  driven  wells  of  a  dei)tli  \arying  from  30  to 
several  hundred  feet  furnished  formerly  7?>  m.g.d.  There  are 
24    nuuiicipal    pumping    stations    on    the    main     Long    Island 

27 


watershed;  in  addilinn,  tlicrc  are  5  |)Uiii])iii|n'  slalions  within 
the  h'niits  nl  the  I'xirdUi^h  (if  lirnoklyn,  two  of  whieh  (those  at 
l\id,L;i'\\<>()(l  and  Mount  I'mspeet)  nierel_\-  i)uni|)  water  drawn 
at  other  stations.  'I'he  most  easterly  punii)inL^  station  is  at 
Massapeciiia,  where  a  masonry  eonduit  Ijei^ins  throUL^h  whieli 
the  w.ater  may  l)e  eondueted  by  ^raxity  to  the  Mill)urn  sta- 
tion where  it  may  l)e  pumped  at  suflieient  pressure  to  deliver 
it  throuj^h  a  eombined  system  of  pipe  lines  and  masonry  con- 
duit to  the  Ivid^ewood  piun])int4-  station  in  Hrooklyn.  There 
is  also  a  72-inch  steel  pipe  from  Massapecpia  to  Rid.i(ew(jo(l. 
'Jdiere  the  water  may  be  pumped  to  the  height  necessary  to 
deliver  it  into  the  distribution  system  of  ]>rookl\n.  the  ,^"reater 
part  going-  hrst  into  the  Ridgewood  reservoir  and  flowiuL;- 
thence  by  gravity  into  the  distribution  pipes. 

The  Long  Island  watershed  supplied  also  the  First  A\'ard 
of  Oueejis,  except  that  this  ward  received  a  small  amcnmt  of 
water  from  the  municipal  pumping  stations  (now  virtually 
closed  down)  in  the  Third  Ward.  This  latter  ward  was  sup- 
])lied  by  two  pumping  stations,  one  drawing  its  supply  of  2.8 
m.g.d.  entirely  from  driven  wells  and  the  other  drawing  its 
supi)ly  of  3.1  m.g.d.  i)artly  from  driven  wells  and  partly  from 
filtered  surface  sources.  There  were  no  city  reservoirs  in 
Queens  other  than  standpipes  in  the  Third  Ward,  the  water 
being  ])umped  directly  into  the  mains.  The  Second,  Fourth 
and  I^'ifth  Wards. are,  as  elsewhere  stated,  supplied  by  private 
water  companies. 

The  quality  of  the  water  obtained  from  the  Long  Island 
watershed  was  excellent  except  w  here  the  quantity  taken  was 
greater  than  the  fresh  water  available.  This  was  at  titnes 
the  case,  and  then  the  high  chlorine  content  of  the  atlmix- 
ture  of  sea  water  made  the  water  highly  corrosive. 

The  former  Staten  Island  system  consisted  of  six  pump- 
ing statit)ns  drawing  subsurface  water.  The  total  available 
sub-surface  supply  was  al)out  15  m.g.d.  There  are  two  small 
reservoirs  (one  of  them  now  in  use)  and  a  standpipe  to  equal- 
ize the  flow.  One  station  remained  in  o]u>ration  to  pump  Cats- 
kill  w.ater  to  high  level  ground.  The  main  station  is  that  at 
Grant  City,  com])leted  in  1915,  with  a  capacity  of  about  7 
m.g.d.  Ai)purtenant  thereto  are  five  groups  of  wells,  one  group 
at  the  central  station  and  another  at  each  of  four  auxiliary 
stations  nearly  one  mile  apart  from  which  the  water  is  drawn 

28 


by  means  of  electrically  driven  pumps  deriving  power  from 
the  central  station,  the  water  being  delivered  by  gravity  to 
the  steam  pumps  at  the  central  station. 

As  the  consumption  in  the  borough  of  Richmond  has 
increased  forty  (40)  per  cent  since  the  Catskill  supply  was 
introduced  it  is  now  necessary  to  continuously  operate  the 
Grant  City  station.  The  Narrows  siphon  will  deliver  only  two- 
thirds  of  the  necessary  supply. 

WATER  REVENUE. 

The  city's  water  revenue  is  collected  through  what  is 
known  as  the  Bureau  of  Water  Register,  except  that  accounts 
in  arrears  are  collected  by  the  Finance  Department.  All  water 
charges  are  established  by  joint  action  of  the  Board  of  Alder- 
men and  the  Commissioner  of  this  department.  At  the  close 
of  1919  there  were  387,000  consumers'  accounts,  of  which 
269,000  were  what  are  known  as  "frontage,"  and  118,000  as 
meter  accounts.  It  is  estimated  that  about  25  per  cent,  of 
the  water  supplied  to  the  city  is  metered.  During  1919, 
$7,073,249  of  revenue  accrued  through  frontage  accounts  and 
penalties,  while  approximately  $7,653,218  accrued  through 
meter  accounts  and  ])enalties,  making  a  total  of  $14,726,467 
to  which  should  be  added  the  proceeds  from  water  sold  for 
building  purposes,  for  washing  sidewalks,  for  street  sprink- 
ling and  for  use  of  vessels,  also  certain  miscellaneous  revenue 
and  penalties,  totaling  $343,765.  Frontage  rates  vary  from  $4 
for  a  one-story  building  sixteen  feet  wide,  to  $14  for  a  one- 
story  building  fifty  feet  wide.  To  these  rates  $2  is  added  for 
each  ten  feet  in  excess  of  fifty  feet  frontage,  and  $1  for  each 
story  above  the  first.  The  foregoing  items  yield  only  about 
35  per  cent,  of  the  amount  derived  through  frontage  accounts. 
About  52  per  cent,  additional  is  derived  in  nearly  equal  shares 
from  charges  for  baths  and  for  toilets  in  excess  of  one  per 
building  and  13  per  cent,  from  charges  for  families  in  excess 
of  one  in  any  building.  There  are  other  miscellaneous  charges, 
but  they  contribute  only  a  small  portion  of  the  frontage  reve- 
nue. The  charge  for  metered  water  is  ten  cents  per  100  cubic 
feet. 

The  cost  of  collecting  the  water  revenue  is  about  $3,520 
per  $100,000,  which  includes  the  cost  of  inspecting  premises  to 
determine  the  proper  charges,  of  the  reading  of  meters,  of  the 

29 


kccpinjT^  of  consumers'  accounts,  of  tlie  preparation  of  bills 
with  subsequent  adjustments  as  to  many,  and  of  the  issuance 
of  some  70,000  permits. 

VALUE   AND   COST   OF   MAINTAINING   AND   OPER- 
ATING THE  WATER  SUPPLY  SYSTEM. 

The  estimated  cost  of  the  city's  water  works  system, 
includini;-  the  Catskill  and  Croton  watersheds,  as  well  as  the 
Brooklyn  and  other  watersheds  now  held  in  reserve,  is  about 
$341,500,000.  The  total  water  revenue  for  the  year  1919  was 
approximately  $15,070,000.  The  expenses  of  the  Department 
of  Water  Supply,  Gas  and  Electricity  in  the  operation  and 
maintenance  of  the  water  works  and  in  the  collection  of  the 
water  revenues  in  1919  were  about  $3,700,000.  The  interest 
and  sinking  fund  charges  on  the  old  water  debt  (i.e.,  exclusive 
of  the  Catskill  debt)  amount  to  $4,000,000,  and  on  the  bonds 
issued  for  the  Catskill  project,  to  slightly  over  $7,100,000.  The 
prices  of  labor  and  materials  and  other  uncertainties  resulting 
from  the  Avar,  make  it  hazardous  to  venture  a  definite  estimate 
as  to  what  will  be  the  department's  expenses  for  operation  and 
maintenance  of  the  water  supply  system  during  the  next  few 
years. 

The  water  revenue  for  the  year  1919  left  the  city  with  a 
small  surplus  for  the  first  time  since  the  introduction  of  the 
Catskill  supply ;  and  although  maintenance  costs  are  steadily 
increasing,  the  average  annual  increase  in  revenue  of  about 
$350,000  should  in  a  few  years  again  bring  about  a  favorable 
balance. 

PRIVATE  WATER  COMPANIES. 

Although  it  is  not  the  purpose  of  this  pamphlet  to  dis- 
cuss these  companies  in  any  detail,  yet  a  brief  reference  thereto 
is  necessary,  since  some  400,000  citizens  residing  in  Brooklyn 
and  Queens  and  consuming  about  40  m.g.d.  are  still  depend- 
ent upon  them  for  water.  All  of  these  companies  draw  their 
supplies  from  driven  wells.  The  one  located  within  the  Bor- 
ough of  Brooklyn  is  the  h^latbush  Water  Works  Company, 
serving  the  Twenty-ninth  Ward  (Flatbush).  In  the  Borough 
of  Queens  the  Citizens'  Water  Supply  Company  of  Newtown 
and  the  Urban  Water  Company  furnish  water  for  the  Second 
Ward,  the  Jamaica  Water  Su])ply  Company  and  the  ^Vood- 
haven  Water  Supply  Company  for  the  Fourth  Ward  and  the 

30 


Queens  County  Water  Company  for  the  Fifth  Ward.  With 
one  exception  (the  F"latbush  Water  Works  Company)  their 
franchises  are  non-exclusive.  In  the  Second  Ward  of  Queens, 
served  principally  by  the  Citizens'  Water  Supply  Company, 
the  City  has  heretofore  made  a  heavy  investment  in  trunk 
mains.  For  the  amounts  of  water  supplied  by  these  com})anies. 
reference  is  made  to  Table  Xo.  8. 

These  companies  are  under  the  general  superintendence, 
regulation  and  control  of  the  Commissioner  of  Water  Supply, 
Gas  and  Electricity.  With  the  many  perplexing  features  of 
this  relationship  it  does  not  fall  within  the  purview  of  this 
pamphlet  to  deal. 

NICHOLAS  J.  HAYES, 

Commissioner. 


31 


LIST  OF  TABLES 


No. 
L     Rainfall   and   ^'icld   of  Catskill  and  Croton   Watersheds, 

1910-1919. 

2.  Storage  Reservoirs  in  Watersheds. 

3.  Aqueducts  and  Pipe  Lines. 

4.  Typical  Analyses  of  Sources  of  Supply. 

5.  Average    Daily   Consumption    in    New    York   City    from 

1910  to  1919. 

6.  Average  Daily  Per  Capita   Consumption   in   New  York 

City  in  1910  and  1919. 

7.  Consumption  in  Various  American  Cities  in  1919. 

8.  Average   Daily  Consumption  in  New  York  City  during 

1919. 

9.  Estimated  Consumption  in  the  Various  Services  of  the 

Municipal  Systems  during  1918-1919. 

10.  Chlorinating  Plants. 

11.  Distribution  Reservoirs  and  Standpipes. 

12.  Distribution  System   (December  31,  1919). 

13.  High  Pressure  Fire  Service  System  (December  31,  1919). 


32 


TABLE  NO  1. 

l^ainfall,  and  Yield  of  Catskill  and  Croton  Watersheds 

1910-1919. 


Catskill    (Esopus)    Watershed 

, Area— 257     sq.     miles^ ^ 

Safe    yield— 250    m.g.d. 

, Area — 375  sq.  miles > 

Safe  yield — 336  m.g.d. 

Kaintall              Yield              Yield 

inches          M.g.d.  per  sq.       per 

(Aver,   of            mile  of          cent   of 

10   Stations)      watershed       rainfall 

Rainfall              Yield              Yield 

inches       M.g.d.  per  sq.        per 

(Aver,   of          mile   of          cent   of 

9  .Stations)       watershed       rainfall 

1910    

48.2 

1.486 

65 

43.2 

0.883 

43 

1911    

43.  S 

1.253 

60 

48.1 

0.912 

40 

1912    

50.1 

1.576 

66 

45.6 

1.U45 

48 

1913    

48.1 

1.586 

69 

49.3 

1.277 

54 

1914    

39.6 

1.290 

68 

39.4 

1.072 

57 

1915    

52.6 

1.663 

66 

51.8 

1.189 

48 

1916    

45.0 

1.648 

77 

41.9 

1.315 

66 

1917    

46.2 

1.496 

67 

36.3 

0.763 

43 

1918    

43.1 

1.153 

56 

41.1 

0.850 

43 

1919    

51.5 

1.522 

62 

50.5 

1.378 

57 

Aver,    for 
10    years. , 


1.463 


50 


TABLE  NO.  2. 
Storage  Reservoirs  in  Watersheds. 


Name. 


Year 
first  placed 
in   service. 


"Elevation 

of  spillway, 

feet. 


Storage  with 

tlashboards, 

million  gallons. 


Catskill  Watershed— 

Ashokan  1915 

Kensico    1915 

Croton  Watershed — 

Boyd's   Corm-rs    1873 

Middle  Branch  1878 

East  Branch  1891 

Bog  Brook   1891 

West  Branch   1895 

Amawalk   1897 

Croton  Falls 1911 

Titicus    1893 

Cross  River    1908 

Croton  Lake 1905 

Lake  Mahopac 1870 

Lake  Kirk  1870 

Lake  Gleneida   1870 

Lake  Gilead    1870 

Barret's   Pond    1870 

White  Pond   1890 

Totals   

Bronx  and  Byram  Watersheds- 

Byram  1897 

Wampus  1897 


Long  Island  Watershed — 

Hempstiad    1879 

12  Ponds    


590 
355 

600 
380 
417 
417 
503 
400 
310 
325 
330 
200 
660 
583 
.505 
497 
779 
831 


452 
458 


30 


130,400 
30,573 

2,727 

4,155 

5,243 

4,400 

10,669 

7,086 

15,753 

7,617 

10,923 

33,815 

575 

565 

165 

380 

170 

200 

104,443 

925 
87 

1.012 

880 
220 

1,100 


•Elevations    on    Croton    Watershed    refer    to    Croton    datum.       Other    elevations 
refer  to  mean  sea  level  at  Sanely  Hook,  which  is  0.94  feet  above  Croton  datum. 


TABLE  NO  3. 
Aqueducts  and  Pipe  Lines. 


Description 


Limits 


Length 
Miles. 


Type. 


Rated 
Capacity, 
M.  G.  D. 


Catskill 
Aqueduct 

Catskill 
Aqueduct 
(City  Tunnel) 

New  Croton 
Aqueduct 

Old  Croton 
Aqueduct 

Bronx  Pipe 
Line 

Long  Island 
Brick  Con- 
duits 


Long  Island 
72-inch 
Steel  pipe 


Long  Island 
Cast  iron 
pipes 


Ashokan 
Reservoir  to 
'\  liillview 
Reservoir 


f  Hillview 
■J^  Reservoir  to 
I  Brooklyn 

f  Old  Croton  Dam 
-I  to  13Sth  St. 
I  Gate  House 

rOld  Croton  Dam 
-<  to  Central  Park 
[  Reservoir 

j  Kensico  Res.  to 
\  W'msbridge  Res. 

Massapequa  Pond 
to  Milburn  Pump- 
ing Station 
Hempstead  Pond 
to  Ridgew'd  P.  S. 

r  Suffolk  Co.  Line 
■I  to  Pitkin  Avenue, 
t  Brooklyn 

Milburn  P.  S.  to 
Ridgewood  P.  S., 
(2-48") 

Milburn  P.  S.  to 
old  Milburn  Res. 
Efflux  (48") 
Old   Milburn  Res. 

J  Efflux   to   Smith's 

'  Pond  (36") 
Spring  Creek  to 
Ridgewood  P.  S. 
(48") 

Pitkin    Avenue, 
B'klvn,  to  Ridge- 
wood P.  S.  (48") 


55  Cut-and-cover 

14  Crade  tunnel 

17  Pressure  tunnel  600 

6  Steel  pipe  siphon 


18  Pressure  tunnel 

22.5  Grade  tunnel 

1.5  Cut-and-cover 

7  Pressure  tunnel 

33  Cut-and-cover 

2  Grade  tunnel 

3  C.  I.  &  Steel  pipe 


300 


90 


15.2  Cast-iron  pipe 

7.3  Cut-and-cover               59 

12.4  Cut-and-cover               76 

23.4  57 

15  50 

L6  25 

L4  14 

0.9  25 

0.7  25 


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TABLE  NO  5. 

Average   Daily   Consumption   in   New   York   City   From   1910   to   1919 
Expressed  in  Million  Gallons. 


Man. 

- — Brookly 

n — 

— Queens- 

— Richmond — 

Total 

and  the 

Muni- 

Pri- 

Muni- 

Pri- 

Muni-       Pri- 

Muni- 

Pri- 

Bronx 

cipal 

vate 

cipal 

vate 

cipal         vate 

cipal 

vate 

1910... 

331 

143 

15 

13 

18 

9.0           0.1 

496 

33 

1911... 

298 

140 

15 

13 

18 

10.0           0.1 

461 

33 

1912... 

303 

142 

16 

14 

20 

10.0           0.1 

469 

36 

1913... 

314 

124 

16 

14 

19 

12.0           0.1 

464 

35 

1914... 

347 

134 

16 

15 

21 

12.0            0.1 

508 

37 

191S... 

341 

129 

14 

13 

19 

12.0            0.1 

495 

33 

1916... 

365 

136 

15 

13 

25 

13.0           0.1 

527 

40 

1917... 

374 

140 

14 

19 

25 

12.0           0.1 

545 

39 

1918... 

413 

170 

13 

16 

30 

16.5           0.0 

616 

43 

1919... 

417 

169 

13 

16 

28 

17.0           0.0 

619 

41 

TABLE  NO.  6. 

Average  Daily  Per  Capita  Consumption  in  New  York  City  in 
1910  and  1919. 


• 1910 

— Average  Daily — 
Consumption 

Gals,  per 
Population  Total  Capita 

Manhattan 

and    Bronx 2,762,500  334.0  120 

Brooklyn     1,634,350  158.0  97 

Queens     284,040  30.0  106 

Richmond    85,970  9.0  105 

Total 4,766,860  528.0  111 


Population 


3,440,000 

2,079,000 

410,000 

104,000 

6,033,000 


-1919 

—Average    Daily — 
Consumption 

Gals,  per 
Total       Capita 


417.4 
181.6 

44.2 
17.0 

660.2 


121 

87 
108 
164 

109 


TABLE  NO.  7. 

Consumption  in  Various  American  Cities  in  1919. 


City.  Population. 

New    York 6,033,000 

Chicago    3,000,000 

Philadelphia  2,000.000 

Cleveland    1,050,000 

Boston  807,600 

St.    Louis 780,000 


Daily 
Consumption 
Million  Gals. 


Daily  Consump-     Percent- 
tion  Gallons      age  of  Taps 
per  Capita.  Metered. 


660.2 

109 

2,7 

720.8 

240 

9 

320.0 

160 

22 

127.6 

121 

100 

89.7 

111 

60 

100.9 

130 

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£  be 


TABLE  NO.  10. 
Chlorinating  Plants. 


Location 


Water  Treated 


Type    of   Plant. 


Chlorine   used. 
Parts  per  million  by  w't. 
High.         Low.  Ave. 


Dunwoodie 
Kensico 
Katonah 
Mt.    Kisco 
Mt.    Kisco 


Carmel 
Brewster 
Brewster 
Phonecia 


("roton   Supply 
Catskill    Sujiply 
Katcinah    Pirook 
Kisco   Kivcr 
KlThicnt  from  Mt. 
Kisco   Sewage 
Disposal   Plant 
lake   (lleiiciiia 
Tonctta   Brook 
Brewster  Sewage 
Esopus   River 


Lii|uid  Chlorine 
l.iijuicl  Clilorine 
Hypochlorite    of    Lime 


0.3 

0.15 

0.20 

0.2 

0.10 

0.14 

9.0 

2.0 

i.i 

2.0 

1.3 

1.6 

M.O 

10.9 

15.00 
0.2 

5.4 

1.5 

?.06 

400.00 

0.15 

TABLE  NO.  11. 
Distribution  Reservoirs  and  Standpipes. 


Borough 


Name. 


Normal 
Water   level. 
Elev.,  feet. 


Storage, 
Million 
GaHons 


Manhattan. 


Bronx. 


Brooklvn , 


Queens  Municipal 


Riclnnund. 


*  1 1  illvicw   Reservoir   29.T 

flligh    Bridge    Reservoir 218 

I  Central  Park  Reservoir  (ohD...    119 
]  Central  Park  Reservoir   (new)..    119 

I  High    Bridge    Standpipe 336 

[  98th   Street   Standpipe 229 

[Jerome    Park    Reservoir 134 

\  Williamsl)ridge    Reservoir 193 

[Jerome  Avenue  Standpipe 320 

r  Ridgewood  Reservoir  (3  basins)    172 

^  Mt.    Prospect   Reservoir 200 

I  Mt.    Prospect    Tower 280 

r  Flusliing  Standpipe   221 

\  College  Point  Standpipe 192 

1  W'iiitestone  Standpipe   181 

f  Silver  Lake  Reservoir 228 

I  Clove  Reservoir 254 

1  Crimes    Hill   Standpipe 453 

[  Toltenvillc  Standpipe   143 


929 

11 

220 

985 


773 
147 

300 
19 
0.1 
0.8 
0.9 
0.2 

438 
2.7 
0.2 
0.1 


*North  of  City  Line 


TABLE  NO.  12. 
Distribution  System  (December  31,  1919). 

DISTRIBUTION    MAINS 


Diam. 
Indies. 


66. 

60. 
48. 
42. 
36. 
30. 
24. 
20. 
16. 
14. 
12. 
10. 

8. 

6. 

4. 


Total    feet 
Total   miles 


Size 
Inches 
48... 
36.  .  . 
30... 
24... 
20... 
16... 
14... 
12... 
10... 

8.  .  . 

6... 

4... 


Total . 


Total. 


Taps 

Meters 

Per  cent   of 

taps  metered.  .  . 
Per  cent  of  Aver. 

supply  metered. 


Manhattan 
&   Tlic   Uron.K      Brooklyn 


( )uecns       Kiehmond 


All 
Boroughs 


daily 


29,316 

29,316 

804 

3,571 

4.375 

246,263 

193,384 
4,066 

13,953 

4,335 

457.935 
4,066 

288.321 

79,527 

399 

368,247 

60.426 

90,527 

47.426 

16 

198,395 

12.942 

42.053 

43.006 

52,786 

150,787 

543, (>26 

373,484 

42,066 

60,769 

1,019,945 

34.  LSI 

268.409 

36,250 

51,979 

390,789 

1.7S4 

3,159 

7,530 

10,683 

23,156 

2,344.4.i2 

579.460 

279.368 

292.562 

3,495,842 

10.901) 

19.601 

31.943 

29,134 

91,578 

178,613 

1.796.586 

547.377 

308,518 

2,831,094 

3,267,410 

2,319,886 

314.129 

323,588 

6,225,013 

131,575 

143,574 

41,663 
1,404,711 

306,681 

623,493 

7.121,267 

5.946,603 

1,441,450 

15.914,031 

1,348.72 

1,126.25 

266.04 

273.00 

3,014.01 

DISTRIBUTION  VALVES. 


63 

31 

94 

142 

86 

5 

4 

237 

48 

87 

10 

145 

21 

102 

15 

24 

162 

688 

726 

72 

84 

1,570 

38 

729 

41 

53 

861 

1 

9 

20 

30 

7,479 

1,758 

794 

365 

10,396 

9 

7 

48 

43 

107 

683 

5.625 

1,509 

1.013 

8,830 

22.715 

16.712 

2,543 

3.006 

44,976 

379 

224 

38 

1,035 

1,676 

32,265 

26,088 

5,084 

5,647 

69,084 

HYDRANTS. 

20.426 

IS. 820 

3,221 

2,921 

45,388 

TAP   AND    METERS. 

186.745 

177.995 

1.3.818 

■MS,431 

396.989 

61,992 

31,413 

8,347 

6,284 

108,036 

43.20 

17.64 

60.41 

34.09 

36.75 

24.1 

24.8 

48.4 

28.8 

25.0 

'Includes   private   service   line   connections. 


TABLE  NO.  13. 
High  Pressure  Fire  Service  System  (December  31,  1919). 

Length   of   Mains            Number   of   \'alves         Number  of   Hydrants 
Diam.                   Manhattan     Brooklyn     jManhattan     Brooklyn     Manhattan     Brooklyn 
Inches  feet  feet 

24      .  .  50,029     

90   57,014  62.141  296  141 

16   ....  134.691  72.764  *391  171 

12 377,567  87.801  1.268  229 

8 55,645  12,500  2,754  1,369 

6 846      42      

Total      .           675,794          235.206              4,751               1,910    .           2,751               1.363 
Total    miles.     127.99  44.55 

*Inckidcs    5    motor    operated    valves. 


'^^ 


''^•i 


i>?» 


UCSOUTHtHNHfGIONAL  LIBRARY  f  AGILITY 


